The season is fast approaching, the nights are getting darker, and the days are a lot colder. It can feel like a gloomy time of the year, which is why it can be important to bring a little light and happiness into the lives of friends and family. With Christmas around the corner, it’s time to start planning how you’re going to spend it, from being with family and friends, keeping in touch with acquaintances and doing your bit for others.
Get your home decorated
You don’t have to go wild with hundreds and thousands of lights, a scale model of Santa’s workshop, and a whole home trimmed with holly. However, even doing a little bit to decorate the exterior of the home, to add a little light and some colourful decorations can make your neighbourhood a much cheerier site. Of course, this tip is going to depend on the type of property that you’re in. If you’re in an apartment, then window decorations and a wreath for the door might be as much as you can do, but it’s a great way to bring the positivity of the season to those who are walking or driving bay.
Join a Christmas carol group
One of the things that we associate most of all with the holiday season is the music that we hear. It’s not just about Mariah Carey and Michael Buble, there are songs we have associated with the season for decades before then, or even centuries. If you love the sound of Christmas carols, then you should consider joining a carolling group that’s near you, taking the spirit of the season out with you, whether you join a group that goes door to door or finds a popular spot in town to add some music to the air. It can be a great way to foster a sense of community in a world that can feel increasingly atomised.
Send cards
If you haven’t made the transition yet, it’s time to become the kind of person who keeps a contact book full of people that you’re going to send Christmas cards to. It can be easy to lose track of people over the years, and sending them a card can be the perfect way to help them feel that they haven’t been forgotten, that they’re still in your memory and your heart. With a quality online printer, you can make your own design and put a little more effort into your cards, as well, ensuring that you have enough to send out to all of your friends and family. It’s just a nice way to let people know they have been remembered and to take the time to remember them.
Write letters
Christmas cards to friends and family can help you make sure that you’re not forgetting anyone this time of year, but there are those who are going to be nearer and dearer to your heart, even if you haven’t spoken to them in a while. The handwritten letter has become something of a lost art in modern society, but this can be the perfect time of year to bring it back. All it takes is a sheet of paper, ten to twenty minutes of your time, and an envelope. Take the time to really check in with someone, to ask after them, and let them know how you have been. It can be the perfect way to reconnect, this holiday season.
Take the time for the less fortunate
While the past few years might have been difficult for a lot of us, we should always remember how lucky we are, be grateful for what we have, and be ready to lend a helping hand to those who don’t have that. As such, you should make sure that you’re ready to do what you can for the less fortunate this year. Whether you volunteer with a local charity aiming to help the homeless, sick, elderly, or isolated, or you choose some charity gifts this year that can give to loved ones, while also helping those in need. It can be a cold time of year for those without the support structures or homes that we have, so keep them in mind.
Organise a seasonal fundraiser
If you want to do more than just a little contribution, and you think that there is an opportunity to really give with the help of an untapped community, then you can look at organising your own fundraiser or food drive. It can be a great way to not only do your own part for the underprivileged around you but to give other people the same opportunity. Community food pantries are becoming a lot more popular, and you could set one up if there isn’t one that you’re aware of, or start a food drive to contribute to an already existing one. It can be a truly difficult time of year for some to get by, and you could get your community to help.
Buy a hot drink for a stranger
If you’re looking to leave just a spark of holiday kindness for someone, then one lovely way to do it is at your local coffee shop or drive-through. As well as getting yourself sorted, you should consider offering to pay for the coffee of the next person. Most places will be happy to let you do it, and you can leave a little cash so that the next person gets a nice surprise. Of course, it’s even better if you leave a little tip, so that the cashier feels a touch of that kindness, too. The holiday season is tough on service workers, so they could use a little cheer, as well.
Spreading the Christmas cheer is something that all of us can do. Whether you want to get started early, or you just want to make sure that you’re organised in time for December, it’s a good idea to start planning now.
